June 26 (UPI) -- Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena approved the executions of four drug offenders Wednesday, putting an end to the country's moratorium on the death penalty since 1976.
The move is part of Sirisena's effort to replicate what he said was the success of the Philippines' war on drugs. He said the country is home to 300,000 addicts and 60 percent of all prisoners were imprisoned due to drug offenses.